Effect of Echis colorata venom inoculation on the nervous system of the dog and guinea pig

Summary

Dogs and guinea pigs injected with Echis colorata venom showed the following lesions in the nervous system: 1. Massive stain of nervous tissue by Trypan blue and Fluorescite indicating break down of the blood brain barrier (guinea pigs). 2. Diffusion of adenosine triphosphatase activity in the vicinity of blood vessels. 3. Increase in number of lysosomes in neurons with spread into dendrites and axons. 4. Appearance of cytolysomes within the cytoplasm of neurons. 5. Marked thiamine pyrophosphatase activity of oligodendroglia.

It is suggested that the break down of the blood brain barrier is due to damage of the capillary basement membrane. The massive thiamine pyrophosphatase activity of the oligodendroglia is supposed to be secondary to the blood brain barrier defect. The distribution of lysosomes and Golgi apparatus in the neurons seems to be related to the disturbance of the blood brain barrier.